danbrown.thedavincicode-第54部分

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　Sophie　looked　amazed。　〃I　guess　that　explains　P。S。　Find　Robert　Langdon。〃
　Langdon　sensed　it　was　actually　something　else　in　the　manuscript　that　had　piqued　Saunière's　interest；　but　that　topic　was　something　he　would　discuss　with　Sophie　when　they　were　alone。
　〃So；〃　Sophie　said；　〃you　lied　to　Captain　Fache。〃
　〃What？〃　Langdon　demanded。
　〃You　told　him　you　had　never　corresponded　with　my　grandfather。〃
　〃I　didn't！　My　editor　sent　him　a　manuscript。〃
　〃Think　about　it；　Robert。　If　Captain　Fache　didn't　find　the　envelope　in　which　your　editor　sent　the　manuscript；　he　would　have　to　conclude　that　you　sent　it。〃　She　paused。　〃Or　worse；　that　you　hand…delivered　it　and　lied　about　it。〃
　　
　When　the　Range　Rover　arrived　at　Le　Bourget　Airfield；　Rémy　drove　to　a　small　hangar　at　the　far　end　of　the　airstrip。　As　they　approached；　a　tousled　man　in　wrinkled　khakis　hurried　from　the　hangar；　waved；　and　slid　open　the　enormous　corrugated　metal　door　to　reveal　a　sleek　white　jet　within。
　Langdon　stared　at　the　glistening　fuselage。　〃That's　Elizabeth？〃
　Teabing　grinned。　〃Beats　the　bloody　Chunnel。〃
　The　man　in　khakis　hurried　toward　them；　squinting　into　the　headlights。　〃Almost　ready；　sir；〃　he　called　in　a　British　accent。　〃My　apologies　for　the　delay；　but　you　took　me　by　surprise　and…〃　He　stopped　short　as　the　group　unloaded。　He　looked　at　Sophie　and　Langdon；　and　then　Teabing。
　Teabing　said；　〃My　associates　and　I　have　urgent　business　in　London。　We've　no　time　to　waste。　Please　prepare　to　depart　immediately。〃　As　he　spoke；　Teabing　took　the　pistol　out　of　the　vehicle　and　handed　it　to　Langdon。
　The　pilot's　eyes　bulged　at　the　sight　of　the　weapon。　He　walked　over　to　Teabing　and　whispered；　〃Sir；　my　humble　apologies；　but　my　diplomatic　flight　allowance　provides　only　for　you　and　your　manservant。　I　cannot　take　your　guests。〃
　〃Richard；〃　Teabing　said；　smiling　warmly；　〃two　thousand　pounds　sterling　and　that　loaded　gun　say　you　can　take　my　guests。〃　He　motioned　to　the　Range　Rover。　〃And　the　unfortunate　fellow　in　the　back。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　69
　
　The　Hawker　731's　twin　Garrett　TFE…731　engines　thundered；　powering　the　plane　skyward　with　gut…wrenching　force。　Outside　the　window；　Le　Bourget　Airfield　dropped　away　with　startling　speed。
　I'm　fleeing　the　country；　Sophie　thought；　her　body　forced　back　into　the　leather　seat。　Until　this　moment；　she　had　believed　her　game　of　cat　and　mouse　with　Fache　would　be　somehow　justifiable　to　the　Ministry　of　Defense。　I　was　attempting　to　protect　an　innocent　man。　I　was　trying　to　fulfill　my　grandfather's　dying　wishes。　That　window　of　opportunity；　Sophie　knew；　had　just　closed。　She　was　leaving　the　country；　without　documentation；　acpanying　a　wanted　man；　and　transporting　a　bound　hostage。　If　a　〃line　of　reason〃　had　ever　existed；　she　had　just　crossed　it。　At　almost　the　speed　of　sound。
　Sophie　was　seated　with　Langdon　and　Teabing　near　the　front　of　the　cabin…the　Fan　Jet　Executive　Elite　Design；　according　to　the　gold　medallion　on　the　door。　Their　plush　swivel　chairs　were　bolted　to　tracks　on　the　floor　and　could　be　repositioned　and　locked　around　a　rectangular　hardwood　table。　A　mini…boardroom。　The　dignified　surroundings；　however；　did　little　to　camouflage　the　less　than　dignified　state　of　affairs　in　the　rear　of　the　plane　where；　in　a　separate　seating　area　near　the　rest　room；　Teabing's　manservant　Rémy　sat　with　the　pistol　in　hand；　begrudgingly　carrying　out　Teabing's　orders　to　stand　guard　over　the　bloody　monk　who　lay　trussed　at　his　feet　like　a　piece　of　luggage。
　〃Before　we　turn　our　attention　to　the　keystone；〃　Teabing　said；　〃I　was　wondering　if　you　would　permit　me　a　few　words。〃　He　sounded　apprehensive；　like　a　father　about　to　give　the　birds…and…the…bees　lecture　to　his　children。　〃My　friends；　I　realize　I　am　but　a　guest　on　this　journey；　and　I　am　honored　as　such。　And　yet；　as　someone　who　has　spent　his　life　in　search　of　the　Grail；　I　feel　it　is　my　duty　to　warn　you　that　you　are　about　to　step　onto　a　path　from　which　there　is　no　return；　regardless　of　the　dangers　involved。〃　He　turned　to　Sophie。　〃Miss　Neveu；　your　grandfather　gave　you　this　cryptex　in　hopes　you　would　keep　the　secret　of　the　Holy　Grail　alive。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Understandably；　you　feel　obliged　to　follow　the　trail　wherever　it　leads。〃
　Sophie　nodded；　although　she　felt　a　second　motivation　still　burning　within　her。　The　truth　about　my　family。　Despite　Langdon's　assurances　that　the　keystone　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　past；　Sophie　still　sensed　something　deeply　personal　entwined　within　this　mystery；　as　if　this　cryptex；　forged　by　her　grandfather's　own　hands；　were　trying　to　speak　to　her　and　offer　some　kind　of　resolution　to　the　emptiness　that　had　haunted　her　all　these　years。
　〃Your　grandfather　and　three　others　died　tonight；〃　Teabing　continued；　〃and　they　did　so　to　keep　this　keystone　away　from　the　Church。　Opus　Dei　came　within　inches　tonight　of　possessing　it。　You　understand；　I　hope；　that　this　puts　you　in　a　position　of　exceptional　responsibility。　You　have　been　handed　a　torch。　A　two…thousand…year…old　flame　that　cannot　be　allowed　to　go　out。　This　torch　cannot　fall　into　the　wrong　hands。〃　He　paused；　glancing　at　the　rosewood　box。　〃I　realize　you　have　been　given　no　choice　in　this　matter；　Miss　Neveu；　but　considering　what　is　at　stake　here；　you　must　either　fully　embrace　this　responsibility。。。　or　you　must　pass　that　responsibility　to　someone　else。〃
　〃My　grandfather　gave　the　cryptex　to　me。　I'm　sure　he　thought　I　could　handle　the　responsibility。〃
　Teabing　looked　encouraged　but　unconvinced。　〃Good。　A　strong　will　is　necessary。　And　yet；　I　am　curious　if　you　understand　that　successfully　unlocking　the　keystone　will　bring　with　it　a　far　greater　trial。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃My　dear；　imagine　that　you　are　suddenly　holding　a　map　that　reveals　the　location　of　the　Holy　Grail。　In　that　moment；　you　will　be　in　possession　of　a　truth　capable　of　altering　history　forever。　You　will　be　the　keeper　of　a　truth　that　man　has　sought　for　centuries。　You　will　be　faced　with　the　responsibility　of　revealing　that　truth　to　the　world。　The　individual　who　does　so　will　be　revered　by　many　and　despised　by　many。　The　question　is　whether　you　will　have　the　necessary　strength　to　carry　out　that　task。〃
　Sophie　paused。　〃I'm　not　sure　that　is　my　decision　to　make。〃
　Teabing's　eyebrows　arched。　〃No？　If　not　the　possessor　of　the　keystone；　then　who？〃
　〃The　brotherhood　who　has　successfully　protected　the　secret　for　so　long。〃
　〃The　Priory？〃　Teabing　looked　skeptical。　〃But　how？　The　brotherhood　was　shattered　tonight。　Decapitated；　as　you　so　aptly　put　it。　Whether　they　were　infiltrated　by　some　kind　of　eavesdropping　or　by　a　spy　within　their　ranks；　we　will　never　know；　but　the　fact　remains　that　someone　got　to　them　and　uncovered　the　identities　of　their　four　top　members。　I　would　not　trust　anyone　who　stepped　forward　from　the　brotherhood　at　this　point。〃
　〃So　what　do　you　suggest？〃　Langdon　asked。
　〃Robert；　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　the　Priory　has　not　protected　the　truth　all　these　years　to　have　it　gather　dust　until　eternity。　They　have　been　waiting　for　the　right　moment　in　history　to　share　their　secret。　A　time　when　the　world　is　ready　to　handle　the　truth。〃
　〃And　you　believe　that　moment　has　arrived？〃　Langdon　asked。
　〃Absolutely。　It　could　not　be　more　obvious。　All　the　historical　signs　are　in　place；　and　if　the　Priory　did　not　intend　to　make　their　secret　known　very　soon；　why　has　the　Church　now　attacked？〃
　Sophie　argued；　〃The　monk　has　not　yet　told　us　his　purpose。〃
　〃The　monk's　purpose　is　the　Church's　purpose；〃　Teabing　replied；　〃to　destroy　the　documents　that　reveal　the　great　deception。　The　Church　came　closer　tonight　than　they　have　ever　e；　and　the　Priory　has　put　its　trust　in　you；　Miss　Neveu。　The　task　of　saving　the　Holy　Grail　clearly　includes　carrying　out　the　Priory's　final　wishes　of　sharing　the　truth　with　the　world。〃
　Langdon　intervened。　〃Leigh；　asking　Sophie　to　make　that　decision　is　quite　a　load　to　drop　on　someone　who　only　an　hour　ago　learned　the　Sangreal　documents　exist。〃
　Teabing　sighed。　〃I　apologize　if　I　am　pressing；　Miss　Neveu。　Clearly　I　have　always　believed　these　documents　should　be　made　public；　but　in　the　end　the　decision　belongs　to　you。　I　simply　feel　it　is　important　that　you　begin　to　think　about　what　happens　should　we　succeed　in　opening　the　keystone。〃
　〃Gentlemen；〃　Sophie　said；　her　voice　firm。　〃To　quote　your　words；　'You　do　not　find　the　Grail；　the　Grail　finds　you。'　I　am　going　to　trust　that　the　Grail　has　found　me　for　a　reason；　and　when　the　time　es；　I　will　know　what　to　do。〃
　Both　of　them　looked　startled。
　〃So　then；〃　she　said；　motioning　to　the　rosewood　box。　〃Let's　move　on。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　70
　
　Standing　in　the　drawing　room　of　Chateau　Villette；　Lieutenant　Collet　watched　the　dying　fire　and　felt　despondent。　Captain　Fache　had　arrived　moments　earlier　and　was　now　in　the　next　room；　yelling　into　the　phone；　trying　to　coordinate　the　failed　attempt　to　locate　the　missing　Range　Rover。
　It　could　be　anywhere　by　now；　Collet　thought。
　Having　disobeyed　Fache's　direct　orders　and　lost　Langdon　for　a　second　time；　Collet　was　grateful　that　PTS　had　located　a　bullet　hole　in　the　floor；　which　at　least　corroborated　Collet's　claims　that　a　shot　had　been　fired。　Still；　Fache's　mood　was　sour；　and　Collet　sensed　there　would　be　dire　repercussions　when　the　dust　settled。
　Unfortunately；　the　clues　they　were　turning　up　here　seemed　to　shed　no　light　at　all　on　what　was　going　on　or　who　was　involved。　The　black　Audi　outside　had　been　rented　in　a　false　name　with　false　credit　card　numbers；　and　the　prints　in　the　car　matched　nothing　in　the　Interpol　database。
　Another　agent　hurried　into　the　living　room；　his　eyes　urgent。　〃Where's　Captain　Fache？〃
　Collet　barely　looked　up　from　the　burning　embers。　〃He's　on　the　phone。〃
　〃I'm　off　the　phone；〃　Fache　snapped；　stalking　into　the　room。　〃What　have　you　got？〃
　The　second　agent　said；　〃Sir；　Central　just　heard　from　André　Vernet　at　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich。　He　wants　to　talk　to　you　privately。　He　is　changing　his　story。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Fache　said。
　Now　Collet　looked　up。
　〃Vernet　is　admitting　that　Langdon　and　Neveu　spent　time　inside　his　bank　tonight。〃
　〃We　figured　that　out；〃　Fache　said。　〃Why　did　Vernet　lie　about　it？〃
　〃He　said　he'll　talk　only　to　you；　but　he's　agreed　to　cooperate　fully。〃
　〃In　exchange　for　what？〃
　〃For　our　keeping　his　bank's　name　out　of　the　news　and　also　for　helping　him　recover　some　stolen　property。　It　sou